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Making Cozy Comfort Foods … Cozier

The cold, short days of winter call for cozy comfort foods! What comes to mind when you think of comfort foods? Macaroni and cheese? Soups and stews? Chocolate and other rich foods? All of these have something in common: they are even more delicious when fruits and veggies are added to them.

Think of spinach macaroni & cheese, chocolate covered strawberries, apple cobbler, tomato soup – these are all foods that are comforting during the cold winter months but also add an abundance of special nutrients naturally found in fruits and vegetables.

Soup is especially comforting during the winter; it’s warm, satisfying and relatively easy to prepare. Consider soup recipes that are rich in vegetables such as Minestrone, Butternut squash and Tomato. If you prefer Chicken Noodle, add more carrots and celery than the recipe calls for and experiment by adding in your own favorite vegetables.

Spinach is one of my favorite comfort food add-ins – it can be added to macaroni and cheese, quiche, meatloaf and mashed potatoes. It is an excellent source of fiber, it’s high in vitamins A and C and, it’s high in iron and folate.

Making Chili? Try using less ground beef and more beans [use a variety such as white, red kidney and black]. Beans can help provide you with fiber, folate, potassium and antioxidants. You may not think of beans as vegetables, but they are!

Here are some other quick and easy ways to make your comfort foods cozier …

HEAT oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. ADD onion and potato and cook, STIRRING often, until the onion is slightly softened, about 4 minutes. ADD garlic, chili powder, cumin, chipotle and salt and cook, STIRRING constantly, until fragrant, about 30 seconds.

ADD water, bring to a SIMMER, cover, reduce heat to maintain a gentle simmer and COOK until the potato is tender, 10 to 12 minutes. ADD beans, tomatoes and lime juice; INCREASE heat to high and return to a simmer, stirring often.

REDUCE heat to maintain a simmer and cook until slightly reduced, about 4 minutes. REMOVE from the heat and stir in cilantro.